Tech

Need Funding? Pass Shaq Your 15-Second Startup Pitch on Tout

AUSTIN — "I'm a geek, I'm a nerd and I'm proud to say it," former basketball star Shaquille O'Neal tells Mashable by phone in Atlanta, taking a break from packing for his business trip to South by Southwest Interactive.

Yes, a business trip. While Shaq — whom you may forget has a master’s degree in business administration — is best known for his slam dunks on the basketball court, he now wants to be recognized as the guy who helped usher in something special into the tech world.

"I'm looking for the next big thing," he says, adding that the winner of Pitch Shaq will win an informal investment meeting with him.

"A lot of these guys have the ideas but not the capital to back them."

Shaq will review every pitch. If the winner needs significant capital and the investment meeting goes well, Shaq will "introduce them to the big boys." But if the winner's funding needs are minimal, Shaq "might write them a check on the spot" over lunch or drinks, he says.

All of the pitches, which need to include "#PitchShaq" in their descriptions to be considered, will get some spotlight during SXSW, as they'll be broadcast on Tout-branded monitors in hotel lobbies, on Tout's mobile app and at Tout.com.

But what if singer Aaron Carter — who Shaq jokingly had competitive drama with last week in a funny video — created an app and submitted a pitch. Would Shaq consider it?

"It depends on what it was," Shaq says. "That's the good thing about apps these days — they have to be really good to succeed and they have to be something geeks like me can relate to and want to use."

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is a leading source for news, information and resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's record 42 million unique visitors worldwide and 21 million social media followers are one of the most influential and engaged online communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.